{"id":65590,"date":"2018-08-08T02:37:17","date_gmt":"2018-08-08T06:37:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/improvisedlife.com\/?p=65590"},"modified":"2018-08-13T10:55:40","modified_gmt":"2018-08-13T14:55:40","slug":"sicilian-cooks-tomatoes","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/improvisedlife.com\/2018\/08\/08\/sicilian-cooks-tomatoes\/","title":{"rendered":"A Sicilian Cook’s Perfect Tomato Salad"},"content":{"rendered":"

The most perfect tomato salad I’ve ever tasted\u00a0was made by wine writer\u00a0Anthony Giglio<\/a> following the formula of\u00a0Lucia Lo Presti, his Sicilian mama-in-law. She dresses her tomatoes with salt and very good olive oil at the very last minute, a tavola,\u00a0<\/em>while everyone is seated at the table. This is because the salt will cause the juices in the tomatoes to run and tomatoes should be eaten at the perfect point, while both juicy and firm but well before total collapse \u2013 that is, soon after they are dressed.<\/p>\n

In making the salad from memory, I had forgotten that Anthony adds thinly sliced leaves of fresh basil, as it seemed not to need it. Anthony reminded me that it is indeed important. He uses\u00a0either chiffonade of large leaves, or, if I go to Lucia’s to pick it, the tiny piccolino<\/a> basil leaves she brought back from Sicily. \u00a0<\/em>My lesson in making the salad without the forgotten ingredient was\u00a0that salt and good olive oil were the essential catalysts that amplify the tomato’s flavor and texture.<\/p>\n

The salad’s lushness always makes me feel intoxicated, as though I’ve been at the beach all day.<\/p>\n

\"\"
Sally Schneider<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Recipe:<\/strong><\/b>Mamma Lucia\u2019s\u00a0<\/strong><\/b>Insalata di Pomodoro\u00a0<\/strong><\/b><\/h2>\n

Be sure to dress the tomatoes just before serving.<\/p>\n

Ripe tomatoes
\n<\/em>Salt
\n<\/em>Extra-virgin olive oil
\nFresh basil, either a chiffonade of large leaves, or tiny whole leaves
\n<\/em>Loaf of crusty bread, sliced thick
\n<\/em> Slabs of fresh mozzarella, or spoonfuls of burrata
\n<\/em><\/p>\n

Slice the ripest tomatoes you can find into wedges and place in a bowl. Cover lightly but do not refrigerate. Just before serving, salt them generously and toss them gently with a large spoon or your hands. Add an abundant amount of extra-virgin olive oil (for mopping up with bread), tossing again, with basil if desired..<\/p>\n

Spoon the mixture into shallow pasta bowls. If you want, and have access to freshly-made mozzarella, place a slab on top of the tomatoes. Serve with thick slices of crusty bread for tearing off big pieces to mop up the juices.<\/p>\n

\"\"
Sally Schneider<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

…<\/span><\/h1>\n
\"\"
Sally Schneider<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The most perfect tomato salad I’ve ever had was made by wine writer\u00a0Anthony Giglio following the formula of\u00a0Lucia Lo Presti, his Sicilian mama-on-law. Here’s her formula.<\/p>\nRead More<\/a>","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":65589,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_FSMCFIC_featured_image_caption":"","_FSMCFIC_featured_image_nocaption":"","_FSMCFIC_featured_image_hide":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[2133,81,4,8363],"tags":[11274,11691,9718],"yoast_head":"\nA Sicilian Cook's Perfect Tomato Salad - Improvised Life<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"The most perfect tomato salad I've ever had was made by wine writer\u00a0Anthony Giglio following the formula of\u00a0Lucia Lo Presti, his Sicilian mama-on-law. 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